Women's groups go wooing Najib: He must prove he can do more

PETALING JAYA - Women's rights groups and welfare NGOs are hoping to see significant policy changes now that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has taken over the Women, Family and Community Development portfolio from former Senator Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Malaysian Confederation of the Disabled secretary Bathmavathi Krishnan said she hoped Najib would get to know the real needs of disabled Malaysians.

"We would like changes in programmes and policies to ensure there is a sufficient financial allocation to cover all aspects of life for Malaysia's disabled – from accessibility to housing to education, employment, health services and sports, among others," she told theSun.

Bathmavati said the needs of the disabled went further than welfare handouts and token improvements.

"The government needs to ensure proper support services for the disabled, as support services are currently provided by NGOs with limited funding," she said.

She added that the disabled community would expect Najib to be more effective as he has the power as Prime Minister to bring about immediate changes.

Women's Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah said it was surprising that Najib is taking up the post, as government policy is that 30% of leadership posts are to be held by women.

"We have only one female minister left, so this does not meet the 30%," said Josiah.

She added that women's rights groups should capitalise on the current situation, as they now have the attention of the Prime Minister.

"We have no less than 10 memorandums on law and policy reform, such as enacting a gender equality law, a Sexual Harrassment Act, domesticating the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, and reforms to Islamic family law," she said.

Josiah said that other reforms called for included quarterly meetings among enforcement agencies coordinated by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to plan protocols addressing violence against women.

-thesundaily